Apparatus for baling loose materials

Abstract

An apparatus for baling loose materials includes a housing defining a charging passage and a compaction chamber. The baling apparatus also includes a compacting ram platen which moves through the charging passage to compact loose materials into a bale in the compaction chamber. In one embodiment, the baling apparatus includes a reinforcing frame disposed generally circumferentially about at least portion of the housing to provide structural reinforcement. The reinforcing frame defines an aperture through which the floor panel and the first and second opposed side panels of the housing are typically extended during the fabrication of the baling apparatus so as to be supported in a predetermined positional relationship. In another embodiment, the baling apparatus includes a knife assembly including a frame member, such as the reinforcing frame, mounted to the housing and a second cutting edge mounted to the frame member for controlled movement relative thereto. A first cutting edge can be mounted to upper edge portions of the compacting ram platen to cooperate with the second cutting edge to sever loose materials which extend beyond the charging passage. The knife assembly can also include a lateral guide for controlling the lateral position of the second cutting edge, thereby aligning the first and second cutting edges.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for baling loose materials, the apparatus comprising: a housing defining a charging passage and a compaction chamber in communication with the charging passage, wherein said housing comprises a floor panel and first and second opposed side panels, and wherein said housing further comprises an upper panel defining an opening therein which is in communication with the charging passage and which is adapted to receive the loose materials for collection within the charging passage;   a compacting ram assembly disposed at least partially within the charging passage and adapted for movement therein such that the loose materials which are collected within the charging passage are urged into the compaction chamber and are compacted into a bale therein;   a door mounted to said housing and adapted for movement relative to said housing to thereby provide an opening to the compaction chamber through which a compacted bale can be ejected; and   a first reinforcing frame disposed generally circumferentially about at least a portion of said housing and having an aperture defined therethrough, wherein at least the first and second opposed side panels of said housing extend through the aperture defined by said first reinforcing frame such that said first reinforcing frame structurally reinforces said housing during the compaction of a bale, and wherein the aperture defined by said first reinforcing frame includes an enlarged portion through which said door moves in order to provide an opening to the compaction chamber.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the charging passage extends longitudinally through the housing, wherein said compacting ram assembly is adapted to move longitudinally within the charging passage such that the loose materials are urged longitudinally downstream into the compaction chamber, and wherein said first reinforcing frame is disposed circumferentially about a portion of said housing longitudinally downstream of the opening defined by the upper panel of said housing. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the charging passage includes an exit end adjacent the compaction chamber, and wherein said first reinforcing frame is disposed circumferentially about a portion of said housing which defines the exit end of the charging passage. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said compacting ram assembly comprises a compacting ram platen having a first cutting edge disposed along an upper edge thereof, and wherein the baling apparatus further comprises a knife assembly, attached to said first reinforcing frame, for cooperating with said first cutting edge to sever portions of the loose materials within the charging passage from other portions of the loose materials. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said knife assembly comprises a second cutting edge adapted for adjustable movement relative to said first reinforcing frame such that the relative spacing between said first and second cutting edges is thereby controlled. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said first reinforcing frame comprises an upper frame portion and first and second opposed side frame portions extending downwardly from respective ends of the upper frame portion, and wherein said second cutting edge is attached to the upper frame portion of said first reinforcing frame. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a second reinforcing frame spaced apart from said first reinforcing frame and disposed generally circumferentially about a portion of said housing defined by the floor panel and the first and second opposed side panels, wherein said second reinforcing frame also defines an aperture through which the floor panel and the first and second opposed side panels of said housing extend such that said second reinforcing frame provides additional structural reinforcement to said housing during compaction of a bale. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for baling loose materials, the apparatus comprising: a housing defining a charging passage and a compaction chamber in communication with the charging passage, wherein said housing comprises a floor panel and first and second opposed side panels, and wherein said housing further comprises an upper panel defining an opening therein which is in communication with the charging passage and which is adapted to receive the loose materials for collection within the charging passage;   a compacting ram assembly disposed at least partially within the charging passage and adapted for movement therein such that the loose materials which are collected within the charging passage are urged into the compaction chamber and are compacted into a bale therein, wherein said compacting ram assembly comprises a compacting ram platen having a first cutting edge disposed along an upper edge thereof;   a first reinforcing frame disposed generally circumferentially about at least a portion of said housing and having an aperture defined therethrough, wherein at least the first and second opposed side panels of said housing extend through the aperture defined by said first reinforcing frame such that said first reinforcing frame structurally reinforces said housing during the compaction of a bale; and   a knife assembly, attached to said first reinforcing frame, for cooperating with said first cutting edge to sever portions of the loose materials within the charging passage from other portions of the loose materials, wherein said knife assembly comprises a second cutting edge adapted for adjustable movement relative to said first reinforcing frame such that the relative spacing between said first and second cutting edges is thereby controlled, and wherein said knife assembly further comprises a lateral guide, attached to said first reinforcing frame, for controlling the lateral position of said second cutting edge such that said first and second cutting edges are aligned.   
     
     
       9. An apparatus for bating loose materials, the apparatus comprising: a housing defining a charging massage and a compaction chamber in communication with the charging passage, wherein, said housing comprises a floor panel and first and second opposed side panels, and wherein said housing further comprises an upper panel defining an opening therein which is in communication with the charging passage and which is adapted to receive the loose materials for collection within the charging passage;   a compacting ram assembly disposed at least partially within the charging passage and adapted for movement therein such that the loose materials which are collected within the charging passage are urged into the compaction chamber and are compacted into a bale therein, wherein said compacting ram assembly comprises a compacting ram platen having a first cutting edge disposed along an upper edge thereof;   a first reinforcing frame disposed generally circumferentially about at least a portion of said housing and having an aperture defined therethrough, wherein at least the first and second opposed side panels of said housing extend through the aperture defined by said first reinforcing frame such that said first reinforcing frame structurally reinforces said housing during the compaction of a bale; and   a knife assembly, attached to said first reinforcing frame for cooperating with said first cutting edge to sever portions of the loose materials within the charging passage from other portions of the loose materials, wherein said knife assembly comprises a second cutting edge adapted for adjustable movement relative to said first reinforcing frame such that the relative spacing between said first and second cutting edges is thereby controlled, wherein said knife assembly further comprises a knife support to which said second cutting edge is attached, and wherein said knife support is adjustably attached to said first reinforcing frame such that the relative spacing between said first and second cutting edges can be controllably varied.   
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said knife assembly further comprises an adjustment member for adjusting the position of said knife support relative to said first reinforcing frame to thereby control the relative spacing between said first and second cutting edges. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus for baling loose materials, the apparatus comprising: a housing defining a charging passage and a compaction chamber in communication with the charging passage, wherein said housing comprises a floor panel and first and second opposed side panels, and wherein said housing further comprises an upper panel defining an opening therein which is in communication with the charging passage and which is adapted to receive the loose materials for collection within the charging passage;   a compacting ram assembly disposed at least partially within the charging passage, said compacting ram assembly comprising a compacting ram platen having a first cutting edge disposed along an upper edge thereof, the compacting ram platen being adapted for movement within the charging passage such that the loose materials which are collected therein are urged into the compaction chamber and are compacted into a bale therein; and   a knife assembly for cooperating with said first cutting edge to sever portions of the loose materials within the charging passage from other portions of the loose materials, wherein said knife assembly comprises: a frame member attached to said housing at a location proximate the opening defined in the upper panel;   a second cutting edge attached to said frame member and adapted for adjustable movement relative to said frame member such that the relative spacing between said first and second cutting edges is controlled; and   a lateral guide, attached to said frame member, for controlling the lateral position of said second cutting edge such that said first and second cutting edges are aligned.     
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said knife assembly further comprises a knife support to which said second cutting edge is attached, and wherein said knife support is adjustably attached to said frame member such that the relative spacing between said first and second cutting edges can be controllably varied. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said knife assembly further comprises an adjustment member for adjusting the position of said knife support relative to said frame member to thereby control the relative spacing between said first and second cutting edges. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said knife support includes laterally opposed edge portions, and wherein said lateral guide comprises first and second lateral guide members positioned adjacent a respective edge portion of said knife support and adapted to maintain proper lateral position of said second cutting edge as said knife support is adjusted relative to said frame member. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein each of said first and second guide members comprise a prismatic guide having a predetermined exterior shape, and wherein the laterally opposed edge portions of said knife support have a predetermined shape which corresponds to the predetermined exterior shape of said adjacent prismatic guide. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each of said first and second guide members comprises lateral adjustment means for laterally adjusting the respective prismatic guide relative to said frame member such that the lateral position of said knife support is further controlled. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said second cutting edge comprises a serrated cutting edge. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said frame member comprises a first reinforcing frame disposed generally circumferentially about at least a portion of said housing and having an aperture defined therethrough, wherein at least the first and second opposed side panels of said housing extend through the aperture defined by said first reinforcing frame such that said first reinforcing frame structurally reinforces said housing during the compaction of a bale. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said first reinforcing frame comprises an upper frame portion and first and second opposed side frame portions extending downwardly from respective ends of the upper frame portion, and wherein said second cutting edge is attached to the upper frame portion of said first reinforcing frame. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said knife assembly further comprises a second reinforcing frame spaced apart from said first reinforcing frame and disposed generally circumferentially about a portion of said housing defined by the floor panel and the first and second opposed side panels, and wherein said second reinforcing frame also defines an aperture through which the floor panel and the first and second opposed side panels of said housing extend such that said second reinforcing frame provides additional structural reinforcement to said housing during the compaction of a bale. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said knife assembly further comprises release means for controllably releasing said second cutting edge upon the application of forces to said second cutting edge which exceed a predetermined maximum force to thereby prevent damage to the baling apparatus. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said release means comprises: an interconnecting member extending between said first and second reinforcing frames and defining a center aperture between said first and second reinforcing frames;   an adjustment member for adjusting the position of said second cutting edge relative to said first reinforcing frame, wherein said adjustment member extends through the center aperture defined by said interconnecting member and is positionally engaged therewith; and   separation means connectably engaging said interconnecting member and said first and second reinforcing frames, wherein said separation means is adapted to disengage said interconnecting member from said first and second reinforcing frames upon the application of forces to said second cutting edge which exceed the predetermined maximum force.